Car-coupling



(No Model.) 7

J. H. SWEENEY.. GAR COUPLING.

No. 464,836. Patented Dec-r8, 1891.

Ecyl

Er-Mi A TTORNE Y8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HENRY SIVEENEY, OF FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,836, dated December8, 1891.

Application filed April 6, 1891- Serial No. 387,900. (No model.)

useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in carcouplers; and it consists incertain novel construetions and combinations of parts, as will behereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a carprovided with my improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a side view of thedraw-head and improvements, the linklifter being shown down in fulllines and elevated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a vertical 1011- gitudinalsection.

The draw-headA may be of the usual shape, except in the particularhereinafter described. I provide the draw-head with a slot B in one sideand with a pin-hole C, the latter being prolonged by thickening thedraw-head surrounding such hole to better guide the coupling-pin in itsvertical movements. v

A block D is arranged and movable longitudinally in the draw-head andprojects when in its foremost position below the pin-hole C. In suchposition the block operates asa pinsupport and serves to hold the pinelevated. A spring E, bearing in rear of the block D, forces the sameforward and tends to hold it normally in position to support the pin andat the same time permits the block to be pressed back by the enteringlink to permit the pin to fall through and secure the said link, as willbe readily understood. It will also be seen that when the pin is liftedthe block will move forward below and in posi tion to support the pin.At the lower side of the mouth of the draw-head I provide the linklifterplate F, provided at its rear edge with a rock-shaft G,with journals inthe draw-head. This shaft extends laterally beyond the drawhead andabout the side of the car, and is provided at its outer ends withcrank-handles H, by which it may be turned to raise the lifter proper.Said shaft extends through the draw-head and about the side of the car,so as to permit the link-lifter and ratchet to be worked from both sidesof the car. I also provide the shaft G with a short crank-arm I,connected with a rod J, which leads to the top of the car, so that thelink may be raised or lowered from the top of the car. On the shaft G,close to the side of the draw-head, I provide the Wheel segment or plateK, which is formed with the straight shoulder or edge L and with theratchet-teeth M. A pawl N is provided to operate in connection with thesaid plate K, being arranged to engage the edge L when the link-lifteris lowered and to engage the teeth M as the lifter is turned to elevatethe link. By engaging and pressing against the edge L the pawl operatesto hold the link-lifter down, while its engagement with the teeth Moperates to secure the litter in any degree 'of elevation to which itmay be adjusted. This pawl is connected by a rod or bar 0 with thespring-pressed pin-supporting block in such manner that when the saidblock is in its foremost position the pawl will be held firmly to itsplace in engagement with the edge L or the teeth M, the spring whichactuates the pin-support being thus arranged to also actuate the pawl.It will also be seen that if a link be held in a draw-head and be heldelevated by the link-lifter of such drawhead the pawl will engage theteeth M and hold the link-lifter in the desired position. If suchdraw-head and link be bumped by a meeting draw-head, the link will pushthe supporting-block back, and this movement will release the pawl fromteeth M and the link-lifter will fall by gravity to its normal positionagainst the base wall of the mouth of the draw-head.

In order to release the pawl from the teeth M whenever desired, Iprovidethe lever P, pivoted at Q, extended at one end to the top of the car andprovided with a part or portion R, arranged to engage the pawl, so thatthe lever P may be operated to move the pawl out of engagementwith theratchet-teeth when so desired. Manifestly straight or bent links may be-nsed,if desired. It will be seen that by means of the link-lifterdraw-heads of different heights may be conveniently coupled, that byconnecting the pawl and pin-supporting block the backward movement ofthe said block operates to release the pawl from the ratchet-teeth, andby means of the devices, as shown and described, the pawl can bereleased and the link-lifter can be operated from the top of the car, aswell as by the crankhandles from either side of the car, while on theground.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In acar-coupling, the combination of the draw-head, pin-support link-lifterhaving its shaft provided with a toothed wheel segment or plate, a pawlarranged to engage the teeth of said segment or plate, and a connectionbetween said pawl and pin-support, whereby the movement of said supportmay operate to move the pawl, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head having a slot B,the pin-support, the link-lifter having its shaft provided with atoothed segment or plate, the pawl engaging said plate, and the rodconnected at one end with the pawl and projected at its other endthrough slot 13 and connected with the pin-support, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination of the draw-head, the link-lifter having its shaftprovided with a segment or plate K, having teeth M and edge or shoulderL, and the pawl arranged to engage said edge and teeth, substantially asset forth.

, 4. In acar-conpling, the combination of the draw-head, the link-lifterhaving a toothed wheel segment or plate, the pawl arranged to engagesaid plate, and the lever by which to move the pawl out of engagementwith said plate, substantially as set forth.

5. In a car-couplin the combination of the draw-head, thespring-actuated pin-support, the link-lifter provided with the toothedwheel segment or plate, the pawl engaging said se ment or plate, arod'connecting the pawl with the pin-support, and the lever having aportion by which to engage said pawl, whereby to free it from engagementwith the segment or plate, all substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

6. The improved car-coupling herein described, consisting of thedraw-head, the pinsupport, the link-lifter having a toothed plate K,provided with an edge L and teeth M, the pawl N, engaging said plate,the rod 0, connecting such pawl with the pin-support, the lever'P,having a portion R, arranged to engage the pawl, the crank-arm I,connected with the link-lifter shaft, and the rod J, jointed to said armand extended upward, substantially as set forth. v

JAMES HENRY SYVEENEY.

Witnesses:

O. R. BERRY, E. M. HEARN.

